The rapidly increasing digitalization in our private and professional environment is clearly noticeable for all of us. With the Converting 4.0 network and the the@vanced platform, we at KAMPF are already making great progress in development and, thanks to our active collaboration in the Siemens MindSphere project, are ideally positioned to develop new technologies. For effective implementation, however, these developments also require changes - expansion of infrastructures such as high-speed Internet; training of specialists; simplification of legal regulations for the cooperation of universities, service providers and companies in joint developments.

To make these changes possible, the government is not the least of the actors involved.

Reinhard Houben, MdB and economic policy spokesman for the FDP parliamentary group in the Bundestag, is currently working on a position paper for his party on the subject of "Digitisation in SMEs". He had therefore asked the VDMA for support and for a contact to a reference company. Born in Oberberg, Germany, he was particularly pleased to be able to visit KAMPF in his home country.

Together with Klaus Möllemann, VDMA-NRW and Boris Greifeneder VDMA Berlin, Reinhard Houben visited us on June 11th in Wiehl. Lutz Busch, Managing Director of KAMPF and Dr. Donatus Weber, Head of Industry 4.0, presented current developments at KAMPF and informed about the Converting 4.0 network together with Lars Rückemann, Head of Business Development of our network partner company Codecentric.

In the lively discussion, the topics of infrastructure development and the cooperation of medium-sized companies with service providers for the joint development of further technical solutions were discussed intensively. The main goal for the use of digitized solutions - keyword Industry 4.0 - is the sustainable improvement of production facilities in terms of product quality and productivity. However, this can only be achieved by networking all machines in a production process.

Lutz Busch has therefore pointed out how important it is that joint developments by machine builders are possible and not hindered by legal restrictions. The effects of increasing digitalization on jobs were also discussed. The job profiles and requirements for the training of skilled workers are changing for both machine builders and operators. During the concluding company tour through our assembly halls and our technical center, the participants of the discussion round were able to gain further positive impressions of modern assembly and logistics

KAMPF is pleased about the interest of the politicians and associations and expresses its thanks to Reinhard Houben and the gentlemen of the VDMA for their visit.